Five companies from the alternative protein sector have been included in TIME magazine’s second annual World’s Top GreenTech Companies list, published in partnership with data firm Statista. The 250-company ranking covers businesses across sectors, including renewable energy, carbon capture, mobility, and food technology, evaluated on environmental impact, financial strength, and innovation.
Who made the list
Israeli plant-based meat producer Redefine Meat earned the highest food-sector ranking, placing 22nd overall with a score of 91.13. The Rehovot-based company, which uses 3D-printing technology to produce whole-cut meat alternatives, has been expanding its European retail and foodservice presence in recent years, with listings at Asda in the UK and retail partners including Tegut and Coop in Germany and Switzerland.
Cultivated meat company UPSIDE Foods came in at 40th, scoring 89.37. Founded in 2015 and headquartered in Berkeley, UPSIDE Foods has been navigating a difficult period for the cultivated meat sector, with the company shifting focus toward cell culture media and life sciences applications under its Lucius Labs spinout.
Impossible Foods ranked 59th with a score of 87.62. The US plant-based meat company, which competes directly with Beyond in the burger category, has continued expanding its product line and recently underwent a rebranding effort.
Cultivated seafood startup BlueNalu placed 65th, scoring 87.08. The San Diego company is developing whole-muscle cell-cultured fish products, targeting premium sushi and sashimi markets, and closed an $11 million funding round in late 2025.
Dutch cultivated beef company Mosa Meat rounded out the food sector entries at 91st with a score of 85.34. The Maastricht-based company, which has been operating since 2013, raised an additional €15 million in December 2025, bringing total funding over the prior two years to €58 million. Mosa Meat also appeared on the 2025 edition of the same list, placing in the top 10 at that time, according to Brightlands.
Methodology and context
Rankings were determined using a scoring model weighted 45% on positive environmental impact, 45% on financial strength, and 10% on innovation, based on patent data from LexisNexis. Statista assessed more than 8,300 companies in total. Environmental impact scoring was conducted in partnership with The Upright Project, with alignment to the UN Sustainable Development Goals factored in.
The food technology category represented a small share of the full list, which was dominated by renewable energy companies, accounting for 34% of entries. US companies made up 57.2% of all ranked businesses.
